Keller Ferry out of service on SR 21 near Wilbur

By NCBI
Apr 08, 2011

The Keller Ferry on SR 21 is currently out of service due to problems with the north shore vehicle loading ramp and dock. The ferry itself is operational, but without a loading ramp, vehicles can't board the vessel.

The ferry is expected to be out of service for the entire weekend. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) crews hope to resolve the problems by early next week. Drivers seeking alternate routes to cross the Columbia River can head downstream to SR 174 and cross near the Grand Coulee Dam or upstream to SR 25 and cross near Kettle Falls.

WSDOT crews were in the process of moving the north landing ramp and dock assembly to the alternate north shore location on April 7 when the problem occurred. The alternate location allows the ferry to operate when the Lake Roosevelt level is drawn down to handle heavy spring runoff.

As the ramp and dock approached the shore, the flotation bag supporting the hinged ramp failed and the ramp became lodged on an offshore sand/mud spit. Crews are making arrangements to bring heavy equipment on site and have a diver attach cables to the ramp assembly so it can be raised out of the water. Once the ramp is freed from the spit, crews can pull the entire system onto shore.